For people with too much fat and/or excess skin around their abdomen that won't diminish with diet or exercise, you may want to consider an Abdominal Lipectomy, popularly referred to as a Tummy Tuck.

There are a variety of reasons why someone may be dissatisfied with his or her waistline and abdomen, and the tummy tuck procedure, or abdominoplasty, might be an option for achieving a slimmer, more appealing body contour. Tummy tuck surgery simply flattens your stomach by removing extra fat and skin and tightening muscles in your abdominal wall resulting in that improved body contour and a smoother shape to the abdomen desired. Women, men, women after pregnancy, aging people or people after weight loss are all candidates for tummy tuck surgery.

The Straith Clinic is one of the top tummy tuck centers in the United States and unmatched among plastic surgery centers located in Metro Detroit, Michigan. Our plastic surgeons have been involved with many innovations in plastic surgery since the 1930’s. The suturing method used in surgery was developed to leave the least possible scarring and has been taught to surgeons thoughout the United States. The Straith Clinic delivers these cutting edge plastic surgery and tummy tuck techniques, yet always puts your needs and desires first.

Tummy tucks shouldn’t be confused with a liposuction, the cosmetic surgery used to remove fat deposits, although our surgeon may elect to perform liposuction as part of a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck is not a one-size-fits-all type of surgery. Our surgeon will work with you to develop an tummy tuck operative plan that best addresses your specific needs.

Please refer to the before and after tummy tuck surgery pictures on the right of this page. View our plastic surgery testimonials page to see what patients of the Straith Clinic say about their surgery and our abilities.

Complete Tummy Tuck. An incision will be made from hipbone to hipbone in this procedure, the option for those patients who require the most correction. The incision will be made low, at about the same level as your pubic hair. Our surgeon will then manipulate and contour the skin, tissue and muscle as needed. Your belly button will have a new opening if you undergo this tummy tuck procedure, because it's necessary to free your navel from surrounding tissue. Drainage tubes may be placed under your skin and these will be removed in a few days as your surgeon sees fit.

Partial or Mini Tummy Tuck. Mini-abdominoplasties are often performed on patients whose fat deposits are located below the navel and require shorter incisions. During this procedure, your belly button most likely will not be moved. Your skin will be separated between the line of incision and your belly button. The procedure may only take up to two hours, again, depending on your own personal situation and the complexity of your needs.

Tummy Tuck Surgery Facts

• Anesthesia: Usually local with IV sedation.
• Length of surgery: 2 to 3 hours.
• In/Outpatient: Generally out-patient in our accredited office operating room suite or in a hospital setting. A no charge overnight stay is provided for our patient’s comfort and convenience.
• Recovery: Back to work: 2 to 4 weeks. More strenuous activity: 4 to 6 weeks or more. Fading and flattening of scars: 3 months to 2 years.
• Duration of Results: Permanent, with sensible diet and exercise.

Most tummy tuck surgeries can be performed safely on an outpatient basis in our AAAHC (Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care) accredited Detroit area office operating room suite. This accreditation is a voluntary process through which AAAHC’s expert surveyors assess the quality of care by taking an in-depth look at our plastic surgery facility, services, and activities. We have had unconditional accreditation from the AAAHC since 1990. For your safety and comfort, a hospital overnight stay is also included for certain procedures. The Straith Clinic is one of Detroit’s state-of-the-art plastic surgery centers, supported by our highly trained staff of tummy tuck surgeons. We’ve always been a plastic surgery leader in procedure, safety, and results.

Schedule an initial tummy tuck consultation now and make the first step in your body makeover. Call 1-800-401-1212 or fill-in the contact form on the right of the page and a Straith Clinic representative will respond to you promptly. All surgical operations have inherent uncertainties or risks involved. A Straith tummy tuck plastic surgeon will provide a customized evaluation outlining any possible concerns related to the tummy tuck procedure. During this session, the plastic surgeon and our specialists will explain the effects and limitations of this surgery, what to expect after surgery, financing options, surgery costs, and the type of anesthesia used, which is dependent on the patient and the extent f the tummy tuck procedure being performed.